Flooded pools - a procedure to get them back in shape.

Recent news has indicated that parts of Southern Australia have been experiencing floods and/or constant downpours. Several towns in regional Victoria remain on high alert and many residents have been warned to prepare for more floods. Floods aside, nearly all Australian states have recorded from above average to record rainfalls this year to date.

If a pool has been susceptible to heavy rainfall, it is likely to have gained much dirty water and is now full of mud and other debris from gardens and other various contaminants. Although a dirty, clouded and flooded pool is a huge inconvenience, the pool can be used soon after if it is treated promptly after the weather subsides. The following procedure is recommended to rectify flooded pools.

Step 1. Check the pump, filter and other mechanical parts of the pool system for damage. If there is any damaged equipment, see the applicable manufacturer for instructions or replacement parts.

Step 2. Remove all debris from the pool. The water has probably brought in leaves and other debris from the surrounding areas. They will add large amounts of organic matter to the water, which in turn will cause issues with algae and chlorine residual. The sooner rubbish is removed from the pool; the sooner
clean-up can begin.

Step 3. Use Power Floc to drop the clay and dust that has clouded up the pool to the bottom. Remember that overdosing Power Floc will not make the job work faster. Please consult a BioGuard dealer for any issues.

Step 4. Vacuum the debris formed from the Power Floc to waste.

Step 5. Turn on and leave on the pump/filter till water balance has been achieved. From now, much of the debris should have been removed from the water. Although still cloudy, the filter is the easiest way to clean up the water.

Step 6. Test for metals and treat accordingly. The pool water may look a lot clearer than the start, but there may be many dissolved particles within the pool that came in with the dirt and clay. If there is a residual of metals (copper/iron) it can cause permanent staining, especially when chlorine is added back to the pool.
If metals are discovered in the pool, use a treatment of Pool MagnetTM to keep the metals in solution, and then add the filter aid Quick ClearTM to remove the metals from the water. Always recheck for metals after the initial treatment.

Step 7. Test for chlorine demand and treat accordingly. The flood water has washed an incredible amount of organic and inorganic material into the pool. Although most of it has been cleared out, there are still large amounts dissolved within the water. These particles can cause a huge drain on the chlorine added to the water to keep it healthy. If the pool owner has access to an Accu-DemandTM 30 testing station, it can be used to determine the exact amount of chlorine needed to add to oxidise all of these particles. If access to
an Accu-Demand 30 is not available, multiple large doses of chlorine may be required to be able to hold a chlorine residual. The best starting point is to add shock doses as per the label instructions of Burn Out Extreme until a chlorine residual can be held at 3 ppm. If there is difficulty in holding the residual for
long, then double the dose until it can be held.